Novelty



Nov. 18, 1941. R. l.. RALSTON NOVELTY v 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb, 24, 1940 gru/whom TUN ALPH L. HALS R. L. RALSTON NOVELTY Nov. 18, 11941.

Filmed Feb. 24, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 18, 1941 I UNITED STATES `aso-amie 'PATE NT OFFICE NOVELTY l Raum L. Ralston, Jackson, Mich.

Applioation February 24, .1940, soriaiNo. 320,580 (c1. 27s-97) 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a toy and more particularly to a toy` adapted for sale atcarnivals, fairs, circuses, and the like. I

The toy of the present invention is of the class having a body adapted to be thrown in the air and caught on ahandle. One example of such a construction is disclosed in Patent No. 1,527,532 to Alcaraz; The present invention consists of an improvement over prior art construction in that the thrown body is in the form of a doll and is providedwith parachuting means to control the falling movement oi the.body.

attached to the handle on which the body is to be caught whereby the string may be slid longitudinally on the handle to hold the body on the handle. I

These and other objects will be apparent from the following specication when taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation disclosingthe body of the present invention mounted on the handle,

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the manner in ,which one form of the invention is operated,

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing an alternative position for the string connected to the body,

Fig. 4 is an elevation showing another form of the invention, f

Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the form of the invention disclosed in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the handle employed with the body of Fig. 4, and

Fig. '7 is an elevational view disclosing the manner of operating a further form of the invention.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the reference character I indicates a cane, preferably of the length of the usual walking cane. The cane l is provided with a threaded projection 2 for threaded engagement with-a tapped bore 4 in a handle 5. Preferably at the point of connection between the cane I and the handle 5, the respective parts are of the same diameter. The upper end of the handle 5 is tapered to provide a pin 6. The top of the pin 6 is provided with a protuberance 1 for contacting with some noise making construction 8, details of which do not form a part of the present invention.

The `noise-making mechanisrn;iwwithin `a body' 9, preferably in the fornrof a doll. The body 9 in itspreferred form/is composed of some light moldable materialslch as Celluloid. At its :foot portion, thegbo'dyV 9 is provided with an interior conical recess I0 for receiving the pin 6.

, I The /b/ody 9 is providedwith a broad-brimmed hat I5. and a skirt I6, both of which act as parachutesto control the falling movement of the body` 9. For providing a point of attachment for the string Il and also for reinforcing the mounting of the noise-making mechanism 8, the body 9 has'formedtherein during manufacture a central wire I8 terminating at one vend at the noisemaking mechanism 8 and at the other end inan eye `I9 Iat the Vhead portion. The string I1 is connected to the eye I9 by a suitable hook 20.

Theopposite end of the string I1 is .tied around the handle 5. As shown in Fig. l the end of the string I1 about the handle 5 is disposed in a groove at 2|. However, as disclosed in Fig. `2, the 4groove may be dispensed with and the string may beslidably attached to the handle 5.

, In Fig. 2 theinvention is disclosed in full lines `with the body 9 separated from the handle 5 and 4in dotted position in successive positions as it is operated inuse. As the invention may be used with and without the cane I, it is shown in Fig. 2 without the cane I attached.

`In using theinvention the hand 22 holding the handle 5 is swung to throw the body 9 up in the air, the object being to insert the'pin 6 in the conical recess I0 in the foot portion of the body 9 as it is falling to catch and supportit. In performing this operation the body 9 may start from thefull line position shown in Fig. 2 or it may start from on the pin 6. As shown in the vertical view of the body 9, in dotted outline, as the body 9 falls, the skirt I5 ares outwardly to provide with the hat I5 a parachutng effect to control .the falling of the body 9. It should be understood that the body 9 should be weighted so that it falls feet rst. It is preferred that the construction of the body 9 be hollow and particularly light weight soas to give a maximum eiect to theparachuting action of the hat l5 and the skirt I6. I

Should it be desired to use the handle 5 and cane I as a walking cane combination or for some other reason to secure the body 9 to the handle 5, the hook 2I'I is unhooked from the eye I9 and the string I1 withdrawn from the opening 23 in the hat through which it passes. The hook 28 is then re-attached to the eye I9 and the hat I5 forced over the string Il onto the head of thebody 9. The opposite end of the string I'I` is then slid down the handle of the cane I until the string Il is taut. The body 9 is thus maintained against displacement with respect to the handle 5. It will be understood of course Vand that of Fi Fig. 4 wherein the cane I has attached to ital` l handle 25 of a somewhat different coniiguration to the handle 5 disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2. The

handle is provided with a pin 2'similar to the pin 6 of Fig. 1 and is also provided with a protuberancev 21 for engaging with and actuating a noise-making mechanism 28. The essential difference between the construction of Figs. 1 and 2 is that the body 29 is provided at the lower end therewith with a conical insert 34D.,- preferably of some lightfweight metallic a1- p, loy. AThe lower edge of the insert V3Il is turned upwardly into a ilange 3| which is crimped against the lower end "of the bodyl to clamp it to the 'insert 3l) as shown particulayinigf. In order to make the connection between the body 29 and the insert 36 more secure, thelower end of the body 29 is provided with a bead 32' about which the rim 3l is crimped.

VAnother difference between the construction disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 and the construction of Fig. 4 resides in the shape of the pin 26 which in addition to being conical is also provided with a substantially cylindrically portion 33, shown particularly in Figs. 6 and l7. The portion 33 engages with a cylindrical portion 34 in the insert 3l).` The function of the cylindrical portions 33 and 34 is to provide a connection between the handle 25 and the body 29 which is not as likely to become separated as in the case of the structure disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2. The construction of Fig. 4 also provides a more rigid connection between the sound-makingmechanism A28 and the body 29 in that the former is pinned Vdirectly to the insert 30 by a pin 35.

In Fig. 7 the invention is shown in another form wherein the string I`I.is dispensedwith. Fig. 7 also illustrates all forms of the .invention in usewith the body about to be caught on the handle. p

The specific type of noise-maker employed in association with the present invention Yis not important as it may consist of a bell, a vibrating reed, a horn, or anything else desired. Furthermore, while the drawing has disclosed the body Aas consisting of a girl doll, it will be obvious that it may consist of a boy doll, an animal,`a flower, or any other object desired, so long asit may have associated with it, a parachuting means. While from the standpoint of appearance combined with effective parachuting action both the skirt I6 and hat I5 or their. equivalents are desirable, it is topbe understood that within the scope of the invention that only a single .parachuting means be employed if desired.V It is contemplated that the invention be employed with or without the cane I and Vaccordingly it is to be understood that the term handle as employed in the `claims is` not to be limited to the speciiic handle disclosed in the drawings, but may mean any handle including the type of handle disclosed in the drawings, having a cane `connected toit.

The noise-making mechanisms 8 and 2,8 'which may be of any well known and suitable type is s0 Cil . body adapted to be thrown into the air and caught on a handle, comprising a handle having a pin, a body having an opening adapted to receive said pin, parachute means on the body to control the falling movement of said body, and a string connected at one end to said body on the opposite side thereof from said opening and at the other end to said handle, the connection between said string and said handle being slidable whereby said string may be slid along said handle away from said pin to tighten said string to hold said body on said pin.

2. A toy of the character described having a body adapted to be thrown into the air and l caught on a handle, comprising a handle having a pin, a body in the form of a doll having an opening at vthe foot portion thereof adapted to receive said pin, said body having a hat to act as a parachute to control the falling movement of said body, and a string, one end passing through anwopening in said hat and detachably connected to the head portion of said body, the other end of said string being slidably connected to said vhandle whereby said portion of said string connected to said handle may be slid along said handle away from Vsaid pin to hold said body on said pin and said string may be removed at the other'end from said body to permit running the string beneath the hat to connect it to the head portion of said body so that when said string is drawn downwardly with respect to said body to hold said body on said pin, the brim of the hat will not be crushed.

3. A' toy of the character described having a body adapted to be thrownl into the air and caught on a handle, comprising a handle having a pin,` a body having an opening adapted to receive said pin, and a string connected at one end to said body on the opposite side thereof from said opening and at the other end to said handle, the connection between said string and said handle being slidable whereby said string may be slid along said handle away from said pin to tighten said string to hold said body on said pin.

4. A toy of the character described comprising a body member and a head member, said head member being in the form of a doll, one of said members having a pin' and the other of said l members having a socket, said pin being disposed in said socket when said head member is on said body member, `and a noise maker carried by one of said members, said head member being arranged to be thrown into the air by said body member and caught by said body member, said noise maker being arranged to be actuated by said head member as it is caught on said body member to produce a noise, said doll being provided with an article of clothing forming a parachute to control the descent of the doll to make the catching of the same by the body member easier than it would be if no parachute were provided.

RALPH L. RALSTON. 

